Month 8 – August

This month was notable because I was able to travel with my family back to Saskatchewan where I grew up. It was a challenge because since I had started TSW I hadn’t been without my epsom and oatmeal baths. The first day was okay because I had access to a tub but after that I had to go pretty much the rest of the trip without bathing or moisturizing. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be either. I looked like a freak due to the extreme ashiness of my skin but I recall feeling less itchy and less oozy overall. I would still have oozing spots, but when they were allowed to dry I think it helped my skin stay in tact better. I also had a conversation with my uncle, who works in neuroscience, in which he mentioned that cortisol breaks the blood brain barrier so it can causes changes to your brain chemistry over time. I didn’t find that too hard to believe since I have experienced some pretty profound stress, mood swings and just generally rundown mentally.